Pain management and anesthesia for pigs undergoing procedures is evolving toward better practice, with evidence-based protocols improving welfare during inevitable veterinary interventions.
Inadequate pain management for pig procedures has been historically normalized in commercial farming contexts where cost and practicality have overridden welfare considerations. The evidence that local anesthesia and NSAIDs significantly reduce pain responses during and after procedures - at modest cost - makes continued absence of pain management increasingly unjustifiable. Improving anesthesia and analgesia protocols for pigs is achievable within current regulatory frameworks and should be a priority for both producers and veterinarians. Routine pain management for procedural interventions is the foundation of humane pig care.